[[Characters]] #Characters \ #Society-and-Culture \ #Deities-and-Spirits # 比 bǐ to compare; comparison ## Components [[匕 bǐ]] ## Meaning The character "比" nowadays primarily signifies "comparison" or "to compare." It's often used in phrases like "比较" (comparison) or "比一比" (to compare). For example, "你比我赚得多" (You earn more than me) or "她比你长得美" (She is prettier than you). ## History The character "比 (bǐ)" originally depicted two people walking side by side, suggesting the meaning of "side by side" or "parallel." Over time, it extended to signify "close to," "connected," or "nearby," as seen in phrases like "比邻" (close neighbor). There's a common saying, "海内存知己，天涯若比邻," meaning even though friends may be far apart, they feel as close as neighbors. Nowadays, "比" is often used in the sense of "comparison" or "to compare." For example, "你比我赚得多" (You earn more than me) or "她比你长得美" (She is prettier than you). However, happiness often fades away in the midst of comparison. ## Evolution ### Oracular Script ![[比oracular.svg]] ### Bronze Script ![[比bronze.svg]] ### Seal Script ![[比seal.svg]] ### Clerical Script ![[比cle.svg]] ### Regular Script ![[比reg.svg]]